Our Insectile Savior…

Just as it appeared that we had no defense against the nasty and invasive murder hornets, a champion appears who can beat them at their own game…the praying mantis! We haven’t seen a battle this epic since Species 8472 handily beat The Borg in Star Trek. Come to think of it, Species 8472 somewhat resemble praying mantids, who do look rather alien with their triangular heads and all. It’s a good thing that they don’t grow to six feet in size, or they might want a piece of our action…

It’s no mercy in a viral video depicting such a match-up between the hornet and the mantis, who gets right to work, latching onto the hornet, and eating his head! Yes, this video is not for the squeamish. As the hornet operates more through nerve ganglias than a brain, the remaining parts of the hornet continue to try and sting the mantis, all in vain. – – Can we get a collective ewww here? Thank you…

So it would appear that the bad boys of buzzdom can be beaten, and it’s all in a day’s work for our backyard beneficial buddy, the praying mantis. He’s mean and green.- – Who can blame him for doing a victory dance? Oh yeah, who’s bad?!

2 Comments on “Our Insectile Savior…”

If you want to see what six foot-tall mantises look like, tune in the 1968 Hammer Films adaptation of QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (aka FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH). For a much bigger critter (one who might be able to give Mothra a run for her money), see that Fifties classic THE DEADLY MANTIS starring Craig Stevens and Paul Hopper.